Combination push and turn key



July 7, 1959 R. E. SPITLER COMBINATION PUSH AND TURN KEY Filed April 26, 1957 FIG. 4

ATTY.

United States Patent eralv Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated, Chicago, 1111, a corporation of Delaware Application April 26, 1957', Serial No. 655,382

6' Claims.. (CL. 200-1) This invention relates in general to'manual contact actuating mechanisms, andis-more' particularly concerned with the-utilization of keys for: controlling the-operation of-a plurality of contact springs.

An object of the present invention is to provide a single keycapable of being maneuvered, wherein at least two keys were previously needed for performing the same functions thereof.

Another object of this invention is to provide a combination push and turn key wherein the-turning thereof actuates a first plurality of contact springs and the depression thereof actuates a second plurality of contact springs.

Another object of this invention in combination with said above object wherein the mentioned key has a nor mal position, and the depression thereof. in eitherjthe normal or the turned position actuates' said secondplurality of contact springs without eifecting the actuation of'said first plurality of contact springs.

A feature of the present inventionresides in the utilization of a combination push and turn key and contact springs mounted in a single pile-up, wherein the pile-up contains two sets oftransfer springs which are operated by anapproximate 90 clockwise twist of'the key to actuate certain of said contact springs, plus one make combination of contact springs which may be operated in either its normal or rotated. position uponv depression of said-key.

Otherobjects and features herein will become apparent from aperusal of the following specification taken in con: nection' with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the complete push-turn key assemblage including a spring pile-upfor being controlled.

thereby.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the contour ofthe combination push-turn key.

Fig. 3 is a top view of the combination push-turn key.

Fig. 4 is a rear view of' the push-turn key assembly taken-along line 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a side view of the complete invention with.

the push-turn key in a turned position.

For manual convenience and lack of space, dual functionapparatus in compact equipment is a necessity. The present invention therefore is a means for providing that need. The present invention is more particularly adaptable and preferable to a telephone subset, as so disclosed in the Robert T. Cleary et al. application, Serial No. 634,184, filed January 15, 1957. The Cleary et a1. application discloses a loudspeaking telephone. utilizing a push-turn button or key for. switching on or oif a loudspeaker as needed. in such compact equipmentsuchas found in telephone subsets, the interior thereof. is definitely cramped for space and the additionof keys or push buttons thereto adds to the problem; It is therefore the applicants contention that the novel and dual function:

of the present invention eliminates the need. for. a. plus rality of keys or buttons in that the present single pushturn key'will perform the same purpose.

Referring to Fig: 1, there is shown. the complete assemblage of the present invention, consisting of a base plate 5 upon which a spring assembly 10 and the pushturn key assembly 20 is mounted.

The spring assembly 10 comprisesa plurality of flat type springs 11, 12, 13, 13 and14.including insulated spacers, such as 15, spaced between levels of springs, and fastened in a single pile-up. to the base plate 5 by means of screws 9' extending through holes provided in the springs andspacers, and fastened within threaded holes in the baseplate 5. The springs as shown. are spaced vertically in two groups, namely an upper and a lower group whereby the upper group is to be controlled by the key being turned and the lower group is to be controlled by the depression of the key, as will be described hereinafter. Theupper group of springs consists of spring 13 controlled by the movements of transfer springs 11 and 12, which in turn controls the opening or closingof contacts 16 and 17. The two transfer springs 11 and 12 which extend longitudinally slightly further than the springs 13, are separated and biased apart by a nonmetallic bushing 19-which is secured to transfer spring 11. The transfer spring 12 at its extending end thereof has a V-shaped projection 12a for being engaged by the key 25 in amanner to be disclosed in the ensuing de scription. The lower group consists of flat springs 13' and 14, with the spring 14 extending longitudinally further than spring 13 for normally resting the lower end of key 25 thereon, and the depression of said key for closing contacts 18.

It is quite evident andshould be understood that electrical conductors would be soldered to the left hand side (in viewing Fig. 1 or 5) of each flat type spring wheresoldering terminals are provided, although not shown. Therefore, it is quite obvious that the opening or closing of the contact springs will control immediate or remote electrical circuits terminating in each spring by the conductors.

The push-turn key assembly 20 consists of a mounting bracket 21 upon which the key 25 is secured, and which in turn by means of a leg 21a and threaded holes therethrough is fastened to the base plate 5 by means of screws 22. A second angular leg 21]) has a circular hole therethrough for fastening one end of a metallic cylinder 23 therein in any well-known manner. The cylinder 23 has an opening 23a extending approximately 100 about the circumference thereof, for limiting the movement of a pin 24 attached to the key 25.

In viewing Figs. 2 and 3, the contour of the key 25 isv shown having along its longitudinal axis a large circular portion 25a including a chord surface 25d, a middle circular portion 2512 having a diameter slightly smaller than circular portion 25a, and a rectangular extending handle 25c for'manually being grasped. The key 25 is made of.

a non-metallic phenolic material, such as any well-known plastic. In the mid-circular portion 25b and extending parallel with the chord surface 25d is a hole 25c for fas-- tening the pin. 24 therein, an any well-known manner. The mid-circular portion 25b is of a diameter slightly smaller than the inner circumference of the cylinder 23 for permitting movement therein however, the pin 24 limits the turning movement of the either end of the opening 23a of cylinder 23. Thus, the key. 25' is limited in turning. to a radius of, approximately The larger circular portion 25a of key diameter largerthan the diameter of the hole provided in theangular leg21b whereby,

at.its upper fiat surfaced edge 25g will' engage the bottomv surface of. the angular.

leg 21band prevent further upward movement ofthekey 25.

12' is adjacent the chord surface 25d of key 25. A circu- Patented July 7, 1959.

key 25 when engaging.

25 has a.

When the key 25 isjinits normalposition as shown; in Fig. 1; the V-shaped projection 12a of transfer spring ass 1,079

lar button could be utilized to clamp onto the handle portion 250 of key 25 for more easily being grasped or depressed. The button may also contain such things as the word Off or On inscribed thereon, or any other inscription as needed or desired.

Operation Upon manual clockwise turning of key 25, the key may be turned approximately 90 until pin 2d engages the opposite end of opening 23:: of cylinder 23 as shown in Fig. 5. The outer circumference of circular portion 25a will engage the ll-shaped" projection Me to move tension transfer spring 12, and by means of bushing 19, will io've tension transfer spring lll upwards. The movements and tensioning thereof will cause contacts 17 to break and contacts '16 to make, to thus open and close respective electrical circuits associated therewith. It could be assumed that if the invention were applied to a loudspeaking telephone, the normal position as shown in i could represent the Off position, and upon the key being turned as shown in Fig. 5 could represent the On position.

Upon depression of the key 2.5, the bottom edge thereof would move spring 14 downward and close contacts 18 of springs 14 and 135. The depression of the key would not effect the contact springs in the upper group even if the key were in its turned position. When the key is in its normal position (Fig. 1), the depression of key 25 would not cause the chord surface 25a! to engage the j shaped projection 12a of transfer spring 12. Upon depression of the key 25 when the key is in the turned position, the outer circumference of key 25 would slide along the parallel portion of V-shaped projection 12:! of spring without moving transfer spring 12 from the position shown in Fig. 5, and maintaining spring 12 tensioned in an upward position. If, as previously mentioned the invention were applied to a telephone subset, the dcpression of key 25 could act as a means for signalling an operator, or could also be a means for signalling a party on an extension telephone. Upon releasing the downward pressure on key 25, the tension in spring 14 would force the key 25 upwards into the positions shown in Fig. l or 5.

While one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it will be understood that various modifications may be made therein which are within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. in a manual contact actuating mechanism, a base plate, a plurality of contact springs mounted in a single pile-up on said base plate and including a transfer spring, a mounting bracket secured to said base plate, a cylinder mounted at an obtuse angle with respect to said spring pile up on said mounting bracket, a key positioned Within said angularly mounted cylinder, means for commonly limiting the manual turning of said key in one direction and for limiting the manual depression of said key in a second direction, a portion of said key engaging said transfer spring responsive only to the manual turning of said key in one direction to actuate a first group of said plurality of contact springs in an operative direction due to the obtuse angular relationship therebetween, and a second group of said plurality of contact springs actuated responsive to the manual depression of said key in said second direction, and means dependent upon the angular position of said key with respect to said transfer spring for preventing actuation of said first group of said plurality of contact springs by said transfer spring when said key is depressed regardless whether the key is turned or not.

2. In a manual contact actuating mechanism, a base plate, a plurality of contact springs including a pair of transfer springs mounted in a single pile-up on said base plate, a key having a circumference portion along its longitudinal axis including a chord surface intersecting 4 said circumference portion, a mounting bracket secured to said base plate and adapted to support said key in an obtuse angular position with respect to said spring pileup, means for commonly limiting the manual turning of said key in one direction and for limiting the manual depression of said key in a second direction, a V-shaped projection on one of said transfer springs extending adjacent and parallel with said angular chord surface of said key, the manual limited turning of said key acting to cause said one circumference portion of said key to engage and move the V-snaped projection of said one transfer spring, means including said second transfer spring responsive to being actuated by said first transfer spring for causing each of said transfer springs to actuate certain of said plurality of contact springs, and means responsive to the limited manual depression of said key in the second direction for actuating certain other of said plurality of contact springs whereby the depression thereof will permit the circumference portion of said key to slide parallel along the V-shaped projection due to the obtuse angular relationship of said first transfer spring with respect to said key without effecting further actuation of said first transfer spring and said certain contact springs.

3. In a manual contact actuating mechanism, a base plate, a plurality of contact springs including a transfer spring mounted in a single pile-up on said base plate, a mounting bracket secured to said base plate, a cylinder secured to said mounting bracket at an obtuse angle with respect to said spring pile-up, a key partially enclosed by said cylinder including means for holding said key within said cylinder, means for limiting a manual turning or depressing movement of said key within said cylinder, a V'shaped projection of said transfer spring adjacent an indentated chord surface on said key, said V-shaped projection being engaged and moved by an arced surface of said key due to the obtuse angular relationship therebetween and, responsive to the manual limited turning of said key to actuate a first group of said plurality of contact springs, said V-shaped projection also acting in response to the movement thereof to hold said key in said limited position upon the manual release of said key due to the obtuse angular relationship therebetween, a second group of contact springs actuated responsive to a depression of said key, and said V-shaped projection permitting sliding on said arced and angular surface of said key upon depression thereof for preventing any further actuation of said first group of contact springs if said key is turned.

4. In a switching key, a base plate, a first and a second group of contact springs commonly mounted vertically in a single pile-up on said base plate, a mounting bracket secured to said base plate, a cylinder mounted on said bracket at an obtuse angle with respect to said contact springs, a key plunger having an upper small circular portion positioned within said angularly mounted cylinder, one of said contact springs in said second group engaging a lower extremity of said key plunger to resiliently hold said key plunger in its normal raised position, a lower large circular portion on said key plunger extending from said upper small circular portion and a flat surface edge at the junction of said upper and lower portions engaging said bracket to limit the raising of said key plunger to its raised normal position, a flat chord surface on said lower portion of said key plunger extendu, .'tudinally and intersecting the circumference of said lower circular portion, a transfer spring in said first group of springs having a V-shaped projection on its free end extending adjacent to but disengaged from said obtuse angularly related chord surface of said lower portion of said key plunger, said chord surface rotated away from said projection of said transfer spring and said lower circular portion rotated to engage said projection and move said transfer spring in an operative direction due to the obtuse angular relationship therebetween and, in

.5 response to a manual clockwise turning of said key plunger to actuate said first group of springs, said one contact spring in said second group moved in a second direction by said lower extremity of said key plunger in response to manual depression of said key plunger to actuate said second group of contact springs, and a pin secured in said upper circular portion of said key plunger and a cooperating slot in said cylinder limiting both the manual rotation and depression of said key plunger.

5. In a switching key as claimed in claim 4 wherein said one contact spring in said second group restores said key plunger to its raised position in response to the termination of said manual depression to restore said second group of springs, and said first group of springs being restored by a counter-clockwise rotation of said key plunger.

6. In a switching key, a base plate, a first and a second group of contact springs mounted vertically in a single pile-up on said base plate, a mounting bracket secured to said base plate, a cylinder mounted on said bracket at an obtuse angle with respect to said contact springs, a key plunger having an upper small circular portion positioned within said angular mounted cylinder, one of said contact springs in said second group engaging a lower extremity of said key plunger to resiliently hold said key plunger in its normal raised position, a lower large circular portion on said key plunger extending from said upper small circular portion and a flat surface edge at the junction of said upper and lower portions engaging said bracket to limit the raising of said key plunger to its raised normal position, a flat chord surface on said lower portion of said key plunger extending longitudinally and intersecting the circumference of: said lower circular portion, a transfer spring in said first group of springs having a V-shaped projection on its free end extending adjacent to but disengaged from said chord surface of said lower portion of said key plunger, said chord surface rotated away from said projection of said transfer spring and said lower circular portion rotated to engage said projection and move said transfer spring in response to a manual clockwise turning of said key plunger due to the obtuse angular relationship therebetween, to actuate said first group of springs, said one contact spring in said second group moved by said lower extremity of said key plunger in response to manual depression of said key plunger to actuate said second group of contact springs, said projection on said transfer spring sliding on said lower circular portion of said key plunger due to the obtuse angular relationship therebetween to thereby maintain said first group of springs in actuated position, and a pin secured in said upper circular portion of said key plunger and a cooperating slot in said cylinder limiting both the manual rotation and depression of said key plunger.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Weman Feb. 23, 1909 Golemb July 5, 1938 Matthews Apr. 21, 1942 Sensinger Mar. 13, 1951 

